Rear-axle construction for motor-vehicles.



C. W. KELSEY.

REAR AXLE CONSTRUCTION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION HLED OCT. 29, I914:

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

1 INVENTOR.

Caa'wa/Zader 11/ ffelsey- ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, CADWALL ADER W. KELSEY, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

REAR-AXLE CONSTRUCTION FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917..

Application filed October 29, 1914. Serial No. 869,214.

1 '0 all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, OAowALLAnnn W.

KnLsnY, a 'citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Hartford, in the county of filartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rear-Axle Construction for Motor- Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to a novel rear axle construction for motor vehicles, particularly adapted for a friction.

drive. One of the essential features of the construction is that this complete rear axle structure constitutes the support for the complete friction driving mechanism, and is so constructed and arranged that there is a direct shaft drive frgm the motor to the rear wheels through the friction gearing.

The drawing represents in plan view an mounted on them. In the cross arms, 5, 5,

i of the bracket 0 are mounted bearings 6, 6,

' as to turn with it.

in which rotates a tubular shaft 7, upon which there is slidingly mounted the friction wheel'8 which fastened to the shaft 7 so An end of this shaft 7 is keyed to the differential housing 10 which has an enlargement 11 to form a brake drum upon which a brake (not shown), hung on the pins 12, is adaptedto engage. Thedifl ercntial may he of usual construction, and one of the gears is connected .with the shaft 15 which has a bear ing 16 in the bracket l), and the other to the shaft 17 which has a. hearing for its outer endat- 18 in the bracket B. To the ends of these shafts 15. 17, are secured pinions 20, whiclrlnesl'i with gears 21 on the wheel hub. 92. 22, .are brake drums fast to the wheel hub. 23, 23 indicate fastening lugs for the ends of a spring which at its center is connected with the vehicle body. 30 is the main driving shaft from the motor supinn'tcd in the bearing 31 on the bracket 0, and carrying at its end the frictlon disk 32, against which the friction wheel 8 bears and by means of which it is so driven, and through it the shafts .15, 17, to drive the wheels.

It is of course to be understood that proper provisions are made for shifting the friction disk 32 into and out of engagement with the friction wheel, and also for sliding the friction wheel. along its shaft to change the driving speed, the lever 35 being provided for this latter purpose connected by suitable mechanismat the point the arm 37 of this lever beingconnected with one end of the crank 38, the other end of which is connected with the brake supported on the pins 12 and engaging the drum on the difierential housing.' This is merely one way in which the connections can he hooked up, and which, as will be seen, provide that the brake on the differential housing is applied only after movement of the friction wheel has been effected.

From a consideration of the drawing and the foregoing description it will be evident that the friction drive mechanism and its connections with the wheels are wholly supported by this complete rear axle structure; that the mode of delivering power from the friction. wheel to the vehicle wheels is such that it is possible to keep the sizes of the friction wheel and disk down where they can beconveniently and practically assembled and supported on the rear axle, and

that this arrangement provides for a direct shaft drive for the friction disk, thus eliminating the usual intermediate shaft, and the chain drive therefrom to the rear Wheels, which is common practice in the present friction drive constructions for motor vehicle work.

An additional feature of novelty and utility resides in the provision of a properly guarded oil bath in which the gear and pinion operate. I form an oil case by cupping up a member 40 which fits Wltl'llll the brake drum 22, and has a flat edge flange- 41. A cover for thiscasing, indicated at 42, is secured to the bracket B in any convenient way, as by rivets. and has a flange 43. A binding strip 44: fits over the edges of these abutting flanges, and is securely crimped down to hold the two flanges together. The oil is forced into this casing. The only place of escape is around the wheel huh, and the centrifugal force tends to throw the oil away from this oint, with the result that a substantially oil-tight easing is thus provided.

1. claim. as my invention:

1. In a device ofthe character described,

a rear axle frame, wheel shafts and supports therefor mounted on said frame, traction wheels mounted on said shafts; a friction whee], shaft parallel to said traction wheel shafts and supports therefor on said frame in fixed relation to the support of said traction wheel shafts; reduction gearing between said friction. wheel shaft and said traction wheels; a friction wheel keyed to and slidingly mounted upon its shaft; peller shaft supported at its rear end fume, a friction disk mounted on r it, means for moving said disk into ou of engagement with said friction el: and differential mechanism located :en said traction wheels in. a device of the character described, a 1" id rear axle frame, axially alined shafts and fixed. bearings therefor on said fia1'ne, a differential. mechanism located betweei'i the adjacent ends of said alined shafts, a member of said differential mechanism being connected with each shaft; a friction wheel, a shaft to which it is keyed and on which it is siidingly mounted, fixed bearings for said shaft on said frame, said shaft being coupled to said differential mechanism; wheel shafts arallel t6 said alined shafts and fixed bearings therefor on I said frame; wheels on said shafts; reduction gearing between said alined Shafts and their corresponding wheels; a propeller shaft supported at its rear end in said frame, a friction disk mounted on said propeller shaft in operative relation with said wheel, andmeans for moving said disk into and out of engagement with said wheel.

3, In a device of the character described, a rigid rear axle frame, axially alined shafts and fixed bearings therefor on said frame; a differential mechanism located between the adjacent ends of said alined shafts, a member of said differential mechanism being connected with each-shaft; a

tubular shaft surrounding one of said alined shafts, fixed bearings therefor on said fran'ie, said shaft being coupled to said differential mechanism, and a friction wheel and means for moving said disk into and out ofengagement with said wheel.

4, JXM'OIU, axle frame for motor vehicles, spindliis separated from but supportedat each end thereof, wheels rotatably mounted on said spindles, a differential mechanism curri dv by said frame, shafts mounted in said frame and connected with members of said differential lueelnn'iisin, driving connections between said shafts and said wheels, a tubular shaft connected with the housing of said differential, a friction wheel mounted upon and slidable along said tubular shaft, and'a-friction disk supported on said axle and in operative relation with said friction "wheel a 5. In a motor vehicle, arear axle comprising a frame, a central-integral bracket mounted on said frame, a propeller shaft supported atjts rear end in a bearing in said bracket, a friction disk mounted at the end of said shaft, a second shaft arranged at right angles to the propeller shaft and supported in hearings in said bracket, a friction wheel slidingly mounted on said shaft and adapted for cooperation with said friction disk, propeller wheels mounted on said frame, geared connections between the last- 'mentioned shaft and said propeller wheels and means for moving said friction disk into and out of engagement with said friction wheel. CADWALLADER W. KELSEY. Witnesses:

A. E. OBIuEN, H. E. HART. 

